Chain Sharpening Issue with Husqvarna T540 MkII TopHandle

[Jamie Jones]

This year I purchased the Husqvarna T540 MkII TopHandle Chainsaw.. I really like the performance of the chainsaw. But I do have an issue with the chain setup that it comes with. The Chain is Husqvarna's X-Cut SP21G .325 59dl for a 14”/35cm bar, .043” Gauge 1.1mmSemi-Chisel......

The issue I have is when the chain is brand new it cuts great. But I struggle to get a good cut when I have sharpened it. I have tried a number of times and used different sharpeners, and I still can't get a good sharp chain.

- I have used the Husky kit, and that was the worst sharpen I have had.

- I have also tried a stihl 2in1 Sharpener and only got an ok sharpen, but it was nothing like when it was a fresh chain.

- I have also tried an oregon sharpening kit, and that was no different.

I seem to be able to sharpen all my other chainsaw chains without a problem. But I can't get a decent sharpen on the .325 micro simichisel chain, even when I am measuring every tooth with vernier calipers to ensure that they are all perfectly sized.

I was therefore wondering how other T540 MkII users are getting on with sharpening their chains and what you are using.

Or is there any options for changing the chain and sprockets to a different chain size?

Edited August 12, 2022 by Jamie Jones
Pic added

[Stubby]

1 minute ago, Jamie Jones said:

This year I purchased the Husqvarna T540 MkII TopHandle Chainsaw.. I really like the chainsaws performance. But I due have an issue with the chain set up that it comes with. The Chain is Husqvarna's .325 Micro Semi-Chisel....
The issue I have is when the chain is brand new it cuts great. But I struggle to get a good cut when I have sharpened it. I have tried a number of times and used different sharpeners and still I can't get a good sharp chain.

- I have used the Husky kit, and that was the worst sharpen I have had,
- I have also tried a stihl 2in1 Sharpener and only got an ok sharpen, but it was nothing like when it was a fresh chain.

- I have also tried an oregon sharpening kit, and that was no different.
I seem to be able to sharpen all my other chainsaw chains with out much problem. But I can't get a decent sharpen, even when I am measuring every tooth with vernier calipers to ensure that they are all perfectly sized.

I was therefore wondering how other T540 MkII users are getting on with sharpening it.
Or is there any options for changing the chain and sprockets to a different chain size?

I think I have a Stihl F/Chiz 3/8th low pro on mine so maybe you can change the sprockets ( mine is a MK1.5 ) A Mk1 with a lot of Mk2 parts on it .

[Mark_Skyland]

2 hours ago, Jamie Jones said:

This year I purchased the Husqvarna T540 MkII TopHandle Chainsaw.. I really like the performance of the chainsaw. But I do have an issue with the chain setup that it comes with. The Chain is Husqvarna's X-Cut SP21G .325 59dl for a 14”/35cm bar, .043” Gauge 1.1mmSemi-Chisel......

The issue I have is when the chain is brand new it cuts great. But I struggle to get a good cut when I have sharpened it. I have tried a number of times and used different sharpeners, and I still can't get a good sharp chain.

- I have used the Husky kit, and that was the worst sharpen I have had.

- I have also tried a stihl 2in1 Sharpener and only got an ok sharpen, but it was nothing like when it was a fresh chain.

- I have also tried an oregon sharpening kit, and that was no different.

I seem to be able to sharpen all my other chainsaw chains without a problem. But I can't get a decent sharpen on the .325 micro simichisel chain, even when I am measuring every tooth with vernier calipers to ensure that they are all perfectly sized.

I was therefore wondering how other T540 MkII users are getting on with sharpening their chains and what you are using.

Or is there any options for changing the chain and sprockets to a different chain size?

Tbh I haven't heard of any complaints with the new style chain but I will be following this thread as is always good to hear feedback from new products. Personally I haven't used the saw with the new chain let alone sharpened one. I presume that you are using a 4mm file and I have also heard customers say that the stihl 2 in 1 doesn't work well with some of the oregon or husky chains. 

 

I hope you find some answers, if not as stubby says you can convert it back to the 3/8 lo pro. It's not ideal as it's something that you shouldn't have to do to get the machine cutting correctly

 

[Bob The Dog]

Mine is a 3/8 chain, which I thought was standard for this saw? Therefore it’s a 4mm file, whereas the .325’s I run on other saws are 4.8mm. Could be that your file size is too large? 

[gand]

19 minutes ago, Mark_Skyland said:

Tbh I haven't heard of any complaints with the new style chain but I will be following this thread as is always good to hear feedback from new products. Personally I haven't used the saw with the new chain let alone sharpened one. I presume that you are using a 4mm file and I have also heard customers say that the stihl 2 in 1 doesn't work well with some of the oregon or husky chains. 

 

I hope you find some answers, if not as stubby says you can convert it back to the 3/8 lo pro. It's not ideal as it's something that you shouldn't have to do to get the machine cutting correctly

 

I'll be following this aswell. The only folk who have complained are the one's who assumed it would be a 3/16 file like other .325 chains

[Dan Maynard]

3 hours ago, Jamie Jones said:

But I can't get a decent sharpen on the .325 micro simichisel chain, even when I am measuring every tooth with vernier calipers to ensure that they are all perfectly sized.

Don't have a 540 myself, but surely a chain is a chain. I would say the length of tooth isn't the critical thing so verniers aren't the answer. The two critical things are height of file relative to the top plate which creates the top plate (hook) angle, an the height of the depth gauge for each tooth.

 

I tend to sharpen most chains freehand and then clean up for accuracy with a guide, but my 3/8lopro narrow I just freehand.

 

I would just get a 4mm file, no guide and file till the hook looks right when you look across the chain, down the line of the file. You should get a half decent sharpen with just a file.

 

[Jamie Jones]

On 12/08/2022 at 22:29, Bob The Dog said:

Mine is a 3/8 chain, which I thought was standard for this saw? Therefore it’s a 4mm file, whereas the .325’s I run on other saws are 4.8mm. Could be that your file size is too large? 

It comes with xcut.325 mini chain as standard

[Jamie Jones]

On 12/08/2022 at 22:41, Dan Maynard said:

Don't have a 540 myself, but surely a chain is a chain. I would say the length of tooth isn't the critical thing so verniers aren't the answer. The two critical things are height of file relative to the top plate which creates the top plate (hook) angle, an the height of the depth gauge for each tooth.

 

I tend to sharpen most chains freehand and then clean up for accuracy with a guide, but my 3/8lopro narrow I just freehand.

 

I would just get a 4mm file, no guide and file till the hook looks right when you look across the chain, down the line of the file. You should get a half decent sharpen with just a file.

 

I would have thought the same as you. But I can sharpen all my other chains 3/8”, 3/8”P, and 1/4” without  any issue..

But I am just struggling like hell with the .325 mini semi chisel and the .325 semi chisel.

 

[Dan Maynard]

Can you post some close up pics of the chain after sharpening? It's got to be something, after all it's just a file which has angle, height, diameter. Not a million parameters to play with.

 

Otherwise how are you doing the rakers, if the tooth is sharp but not biting because the raker is too tall then it might seem blunt.

[Dan Maynard]

52 minutes ago, Jamie Jones said:

325 mini semi chisel and the .325 semi chisel.

With the standard gauge semi chisel as well? That should be straightforward 4.8mm file.